Kat snarled and punched him on the arm. "She's not that pretty."

His chuckle turned into a loud laugh. "Is that why you cover her with a blanket?"

"She looks better that way."

Jonas wagged his finger. "Jealousy is unbecoming in a young woman."

"I'm not jealous," she protested, then promptly stamped her foot.

Smiling to himself, Ethan waved goodnight.

"Maybe I'm just a little jealous," Kat admitted, once he was gone.

"Ah, the bitter sting of young love," remarked Jonas.

She glared at him and growled. "Just give me some more wine you old sack of turnips."

Ethan very nearly fell down the ladder on his way back to the cavern. He cursed himself for drinking too much: the morning was sure to bring a dry mouth and a sore head. He regretted not bringing some water with him, though on reflection, he knew he would have fallen for sure, and probably broken his neck as well, if he'd tried to climb down with a pitcher in one hand.

On reaching the cavern, he pulled the blanket away from Lylinora and plopped down on the floor in front of her. "I'll get you out," he promised softly. "Whatever it takes."

After a few minutes, he crawled over to his cot and rolled on top. The lack of a pillow, and the fact that he'd left his blanket on the floor beside the crystal, was annoying. Then the room began spinning. For a minute he thought he might vomit. Slowly though, the impulse subsided and he managed to drift off.

He had no idea how long he'd been asleep. But Birger would come to get him if he was late for the council, so he guessed it must still be early. As expected his mouth was dry and his tongue felt like used sandpaper. With a pounding head, he groaned and forced himself into a seated position.

"Too much wine?" said a kindly male voice.

Ethan scrambled to his feet and pressed his back against the wall. "Who's there?"

His vision was still blurry, allowing him to make out only shadows at first. He shook his head and blinked several times. Slowly the haze cleared to reveal an old dwarf wearing a red satin robe. He had a long silver beard and hair, and was sitting in a chair just a few feet away from Lylinora. His bright green eyes twinkled in the light of the crystal. There was a warm smile on his face as he folded his hands in his lap.

"If you need a moment, I'll wait," he said.

"Who are you?" Ethan demanded. "And what are you doing down here?"

"A bit grumpy I see. No matter. I can fix that." He reached in his sleeve and pulled out a silver flask. "Drink this," he said, tossing it over to Ethan.

Ethan regarded the flask suspiciously. "What is it?"

"It's not poison, if that's what you're worried about. Drink. It will make you feel better."

Ethan unscrewed the lid and sniffed. It was odorless. He took a cautious sip. Tasteless as well. But cold. Ice cold. Almost instantly, his dry mouth went away. He took another, much larger sip. His head had now stopped pounding. He suddenly felt fully refreshed, as if having enjoyed a good night's sleep.

"What is this?" he asked.

"It's an extract from a rare mushroom that grows deep in the mountains near my home."

The dwarf stood and bowed. "I am King Ganix. It is a pleasure to meet you."

Ethan's jaw went slack. "I...I mean...well...I'm sorry if I was rude."

Ganix laughed and waved his hand. "The fault is mine. I was anxious to meet you. I should really have waited until later in the morning."

Ethan bowed awkwardly. "No. Not at all. But I thought you weren't due for a couple of days."

Ganix sat back down and offered Ethan an empty chair nearby. "I don't care for fanfare. This gives me a chance to observe without distractions. I knew they would have a celebration planned, so I sent word that I was arriving a little later than I actually was."

Ethan took the chair and placed it in front of the king. "I have so many questions for you."

"And I have many answers," Ganix told him. "But I doubt most are the answers you need." He looked at Lylinora and sighed. "Lovely, isn't she? Personally, I prefer my women to have a bit more girth to them. But she is still quite lovely."

"She's beautiful."

"All these long centuries trapped in a crystal prison, poor thing. Completely unaware that the world she once knew is gone."

"King Halvar said you might know how to get her out."

"Possibly. But first you must decide if it is time to release her." He tilted his head and regarded Ethan for a moment. "Tell me about the dragons. Can you hear them? Are they calling to you?"

"Yes," he replied. "Constantly. But I don't know what to do about it?"

"You must go to them, of course."

"But how?"

Ganix placed a finger on the side of his nose and winked. "Let me worry about that. First, tell me about your dreams. I presume the dragons are in these as well."

Ethan nodded and told him all he could remember. "Down here, the dreams are less intense and the voices quieter," he concluded.

"The scenery is rather nice as well." Ganix smiled. "Who is that young girl who tried to cover Lylinora with a blanket?"

"That's just Kat. She doesn't mean any harm."

"I'm afraid I frightened the poor child when she came down here earlier. I'll have to remember to apologize."

"Can I ask you a question?"

The king nodded.

"Why do the dwarves hate humans?"

"Well now, that is a question," Ganix responded. "One for which there is no easy answer. Before I try, I would correct you by saying that dwarves do not hate humans. Well, some do, I suppose. But mistrust would be a better word for it. There is a long and not always pleasant history between our two peoples. No one knows it in its entirety, and only a handful know as much as I."

His expression became very serious for a moment. "I am willing to tell you some of what I know, but I would ask that what I say stays with you alone."

Ethan suddenly felt uneasy. "Is it that bad?"

"Not bad. Just unexpected and confusing. This sort of knowledge could strip some dwarves of their pride and self-worth."

"Then you have my word," said Ethan. "I won't tell anyone. Not even Markus."

Ganix smiled. "I will begin by asking you whether you have seen the artwork that decorates much of Elyfoss."

Ethan nodded.

"Then you might have noticed that there is a common theme in the older sections."

"I honestly can't tell the new from the old," Ethan admitted. "But I have noticed paintings and carvings of stars and planets. There seems to be a lot of them around."

"That is because they were created many thousands of years ago by dwarves who knew our true origins. You see, the dwarves are not really from Lumnia. Once, long ago my people traveled the stars."

Ethan's eyes popped wide. "Birger said he'd heard stories like that. But he wasn't sure if they were true."

"His father was a wise dwarf one of my teachers actually and well aware of our history. As a youth, Birger was studying to be a scholar. Unfortunately, he and his father had a falling out, which resulted in Birger choosing a different path. But that's a tale for another time."

He drew a deep breath. "As I said, we traveled the stars. We built mighty vessels and set out across the heavens in search of a new home. Where we came from originally is not known, but we eventually found Lumnia. Drawn by its energy, which we quickly discovered was able to power our technology, we settled down and claimed it for our own.

"However, the elves were already here and did not exactly welcome us. We looked upon them as superst.i.tious primitives, and they regarded us as unwelcome interlopers. It wasn't long before tensions between our two peoples became unbearable and eventually war broke out. We had our superior weapons, but were hopelessly outnumbered. We knew that sooner or later we would be forced off the planet, so we made plans to evacuate. But something happened. How it was done, I don't know, but the elves found a way to destroy our ships. Fearing that more of us would follow, they had decided that none of us would ever leave to tell others about Lumnia. It was during this time that the portals were discovered.

"Using these, we scanned the heavens for a way off the planet...and found Earth. Your people were little more than barbarians at the time even less advanced than the elves in fact. But rather than escape to Earth, we decided to bring its inhabitants over by the thousands to help us in our fight against the elves. Soon the tide was turned and the elves were driven back."

"Why didn't you just live on Earth?" asked Ethan. "Why keep fighting?"

"Because, dear boy, we were greedy. The energy you know as magic didn't exist on Earth, and by then we had become dependent on it. We couldn't use it ourselves not in the way a mage does but we could channel it through our bodies to create wondrous objects of fearsome power. It ran our machines, constructed our buildings, and enabled us to live in lavish comfort. We tried bringing it to Earth, but the power dissipated too quickly. In the end, the elves were sent running and the humans became little more than our slaves."

Ethan leaned back, appalled. "Your people enslaved us?"

"Not in the sense you might think. We didn't force you to work. But we did nothing to help you either. And if you complained, we made you suffer for it. Not our proudest moment, to be sure. But don't worry. The humans repaid us well. They were already having problems with the elves. Another war seemed inevitable. The elves, fearing the flood of humans would continue to come through, corrupted the portals, making travel between worlds far too unpredictable and dangerous to attempt.

"By then, humans had already discovered that some amongst them could use magic. Not just channel it, but alter the world around them using nothing more than their bodies. The most talented among them grew strong and defiant. Where we thought they would make war on the elves, they attacked us instead."

Ethan could not resist a tiny smile.

It did not go unnoticed. "Yes. We deserved it. The war went on for years. And thanks to the power of the mages, they drove us underground and cut us off from the surface. Eventually, we made an agreement and were permitted outside our strongholds to farm and trade, but the days of dwarf supremacy were well and truly over.

"Since that time our people have steadily declined. The knowledge to build the great machines which were the true power of my people slowly faded to dust. Our cities are all that now remains of my ancestor's industry and might."

Ethan rubbed his temples, trying to come to terms with the fact that the dwarves were from some distant, unknown planet in outer s.p.a.ce.

"Why did you ask for my silence?" he asked. "Why wouldn't you want your people to know all this?"

"To spare them the shame. If they knew how far we have fallen - the wonderful things we were once capable of that are now beyond our abilities there are many who could not accept it. I would fear for their sanity. And seeing as how there is nothing we can do to regain our former glory, it was decided long ago to let the knowledge fade. Only a selected few of us keep that particular candle lit."

"And the dragons?"

"I don't know much. Only that, like humans and dwarves, they are not from Lumnia. Humans supposedly brought them here from Earth, and your family above all others have a special bond with them. Dragons were a big part of the human victory over the dwarves, and they remained a powerful reason we feared your kind...that is, until Shinzan came."

"Do you know anything about him?"

"No more than anyone else. Just that he's supremely powerful, and that his desire for death and destruction knows no bounds."

Ethan's head was spinning. Nothing was as he'd imagined. Burying his face in his hands, he tried to slow his thoughts.

Ganix leaned forward and gripped him on the shoulder. "First, I must teach you how to free Lady Lylinora. But that will take time. So for now, be glad that you and your friends are safe. Nothing can harm you here. Take pleasure and comfort while you can and enjoy what the dwarves have to offer. For your moment of peace will be fleeting. Soon, war will come."

Ethan looked up and squared his shoulders. He could feel the heat of determination growing in his belly. Lylinora must be freed.

"How soon can we start?" he asked.

King Ganix flashed an enthusiastic smile. "Will right now suit you?"

Chapter Twenty-Four.

General Hronso stood at the base of the immense staircase, his eyes fixed on the archway peeking out just over the top. The gold raven perched atop the keystone seemed to mock him every second he stared at it. It was a constant reminder of his hatred, and the source of his torment.

The echoes of hushed voices he had heard throughout the palace upon arrival continued to haunt him, swelling both his anger and his fear. Word of Dragonvein's escape had not yet spread among the common soldiers; those who would have known had either been slain by the elves or buried alive in the mountain. But the most trusted of Shinzan's inner circle were already well aware of his failure. The look in their eyes and the satisfied grins on their faces told him that. They hated him...almost as much as he hated them. Simpering fools, he thought. Sitting here, surrounded by their own ruin. Ignorant to the fact that, in the end, they will be no better off than the fools tending the fields or laboring in the mines.

"I know what you are," he said in a whisper. "They don't."

The air grew suddenly cold. Shinzan had heard him. Hronso cursed himself for his stupidity. He squeezed his eyes tightly shut and clenched his fists.

"The Eternal Emperor Shinzan the Great demands to know why you delay."

At the sound of the voice, Hronso's eyes snapped open again. At the top of the stairs stood an old man in purple robes with gold trim: the attire of the Imperial Household. His eyes, although riddled with the lines of many years, were razor sharp, while his hawk-like nose and protruding jaw gave him a naturally haughty appearance.

Throwing back his hood, Hronso glared at the man. "And I demand to know when a servant has license to speak to the Emperor's General without so much as a bow. Or has your status changed, Ional? You are still the Emperor's court messenger boy, are you not?"

Ional lowered his eyes and took a step back.

It was all too easy to cow these vermin, Hronso considered. They were courageous when whispering in dark corners, but when facing him in person their fear had them whimpering like dogs. He could almost hear their gossip as he ascended the stairs.

Hronso was driven away by a mere boy.

Hronso had to run home with his tail tucked firmly between his legs.

Not that any of this was untrue. But no one knew the way in which events really unfolded. Not even Shinzan. Not that he would care.

As the general reached the top, Ional, refusing to look him in the eye, spun on his heels and walked away as quickly as he could through the archway. The black and red marble floor beyond was split down the center by white tiles that led directly to a raised dais. Atop this stood one of Shinzan's thrones he had three others scattered about the palace. The room itself was ma.s.sive, spanning more than one-hundred feet across and twice as long, together with fifty-foot high ceilings. Black columns, so large that five men stretching hand-in-hand still wouldn't be capable of reaching around their circ.u.mference, flanked the white tile path. Gold ravens as tall as a man hung on the walls every ten feet, with a five-pointed gold star set within the marble between each one of these.

The intricately carved throne was pure white ivory and gold or that's what people believed. Hronso knew better. What was imagined to be ivory, was in reality the bones of the Council of Volnar. Often during an audience he would notice the Emperor running his finger along the arm of the throne, an odd little smile on his face. Some claimed that he actually talked to it, even having entire conversations as if it were speaking back to him with a voice that only he could hear. Naturally, no one ever dared mention this in his presence.